The Policy Vault Insights and Opinions

August 15, 2023 Add to library

Ruto Begins Talks with Opposition to End Incessant Protests in Kenya

After months of political tension and opposition protests over the cost of living, tax increases, and lack of electoral and constitutional reforms, last week Ruto accepted dialogue with the main opposition led by Veteran leader Raila Odinga. Throughout the six months of protest, which began in March 2023, over 20 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and the police across the country. Additionally, the protest has slowed down business and economic activity, especially in the informal sector. In one estimate, each day of the protest cost the economy US$21 million.

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August 15, 2023 Add to library

Niger Coup: ECOWAS Rolls Out More Measures to Restore Democracy in Niger

In a previous edition, we discussed the latest military takeover in West Africa. It’s more than two weeks since the military led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani seized power from Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held hostage since the power grab. This action has been widely condemned by the international community, with sanctions imposed on the country by the regional bloc, the United States and France, among others. In this article, we looked at the sanctions that have been imposed on Niger since the coup.

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July 18, 2023 Add to library

Current State of Food Security in Africa

This article analyzes the state of food security and nutrition in Africa. It also looks at the progress made towards the global nutrition targets.

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June 21, 2023 Add to library

Reviewing Buhari’s Administration Cash Transfer Policy 

President Muhammadu Buhari established a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme as part of the broad 2016 Social Intervention Scheme, part of a key campaign promise to reduce poverty through robust social intervention. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs emphasized the success of the CCT stating in a press brief, that since 2015, over 1 million households (7 million persons) have benefited. However, looking at the overall data, the number of Nigerians in poverty has increased, from 40.1 percent in 2015 to 45 percent in 2023. This data suggests poor households are no better off now compared to 2015. In this article, we discuss some issues and challenges for this.

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